There is a shortage of biostatisticians. The goal of this proposal is to develop a training program to remedy this shortage by introducing undergraduate students to biostatistics. A diverse group of undergraduates committed to quantitative training will be recruited into the introductory program. This introduction will inclue instruction on the basics of biostatistics, epidemiology, genetics and statistical computing. In addition to instruction in this basic material, trainees will be exposed to how biostatisticians collaborate with other researchers as members of research teams working on exciting problems in pulmonary and cardiovascular health. Trainees will also have an opportunity to hear about interesting methodological problems that arise in the course of conducing collaborative research by participating in seminars with cutting edge methodologists. To help ensure that trainees are knowledgeable about the specific requirements for graduate work in biostatistics, multiple training sessions will provide career counseling and practical advice on how to prepare to be a competitive applicant for biostatistics graduate programs. To best achieve these goals, the training program will engage in self-evaluations guided by solicited feedback from trainees. These evaluations will include reflections on the extent to which the pool of trainees reflects current demographic realities. These objectives will be fulfilled by using a group of faculty known for their excellent teaching and mentoring. The faculty assembled for this proposal includes award winning teachers whose careers are focused on developing techniques for facilitating instruction in biostatistics and world class researchers who can share fascinating stories from decades of interdisciplinary research. A detailed curriculum has been developed that includes instructional lectures, seminars presenting research findings from a variety of studies and active learning computer laboratory sessions where trainees will gain instruction in the use of SAS and R. Many of the planned training activities utilize innovative approaches to ensure that trainees get hands on experience designing an experiment (through protocol development), collecting and analyzing data (using a virtual population), and presenting the findings. These training activities will be complemented by field trips where trainees will have the opportunity to see how biostatisticians contribute to research teams in a variety of settings and recreational activities that will provide a fun break from the rigors of the training schedule. The shortage of well-traine biostatisticians has been identified as a major impediment to the success of research aimed at improving public health. The factors contributing to this lack of expertise are varied but include lack of visibility of the profession and a perception that biostatisticians are not potential scienific leaders. This training program is designed to not only increase the visibility of biostatistics, bu through careful selection of seminars and field trips, to demonstrate to trainees that biostatisticians can contribute at the highest level to the advancement of science.